Men Try to Answer, 'What will your legacy
be?' at 55th Annual Laymen's Conference

The 55th gathering of the Episcopal Laymen of the three dioceses of Tennessee took place August at the DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle, Tennessee. More than 500 men met on the mountain for fellowship and renewal. Meeting once each year since 1947, the Tennessee Episcopal Laymen's Conference is one of the largest, if not the largest, such gathering within the Episcopal Church and possibly in the Anglican Communion. One participant commented, "This is something very special to have this large group of men worshipping, singing, laughing together."

This year's guest speakers included the Very Rev. George L.W. Werner, president of the House of Deputies of General Convention; Brother Robert Hugh, a Franciscan friar with the Episcopal Society of St. Francis; and Robin Dow, the immediate past president of the National Episcopal Cursillo Committee. The Bishops of East Tennessee, West Tennessee and Tennessee were also invited to participate in the gathering.

The Conference, whose theme was "What will your legacy be?," began Friday evening with dinner followed by an evening session with singing, welcome from the three bishops, and a talk by Werner. Werner brought two elements of legacy to the group: Scripture which has more dimensions than we understand; and thinking of community rather than the individual first. He said, "Our call is to serve our community as well as our God."

Hugh and Dow, as well as the bishops, added to that legacy, hitting the subject hard, "but with no overlap." Hugh spoke of a covenant with God as opposed to a contract. God's covenant is about faith, about depending on Christ rather than a contract which implies no trust and safeguards.

Saturday afternoon was given over to golfing, canoeing, cycling, fly fishing, hiking, swimming, skeet shooting, tennis, Forestry 101 and touring Sewanee. There was also a gathering in Claiborne Hall to discuss timely issues.

Werner described the afternoon question and answer session, attended by approximately 75 men, as a conversation – sitting down for some real searching rather than a strident confrontation.

He said, "There is a sense of the wider church being separated from the local church." The session was an opportunity to bridge that gap. Werner said there was some frustration and anger expressed over court cases, but there was a lot of good news to share. One participant from East Tennessee said, "The question and answer session was terrific. Werner's answers were good although they were not always what people wanted to hear."

Werner said, "The most exciting thing I have seen in my 40 years of ordained ministry is happening all over the church – and that is the focus on ‘the mission of God' – not on the mission of the institution or the mission of the ecclesia. There is an urgency of mission and it is an energy builder. This is where we are being called."

He indicated that "we would be hearing more in October and November" as the Task Force on 20/20 makes its report.

Dow spoke at the evening session on Saturday. His legacy involved commitment – doing "what Christ wants us to do even at great personal sacrifice." He emphasized "living the Word" even when you don't know how you can manage.

The Conference ended on Sunday following Holy Eucharist at All Saints Chapel in Sewanee with participants saying the whole feeling of the weekend was great and they will be back next year when Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold will be the keynote speaker.